Meaning
To have an alcoholic beverage, often in a casual setting.
Cultural Background
The 'Apéro' is a sacred ritual. Inviting someone to 'boire un coup' at 6 PM usually means sitting down for an hour of talk before dinner. In Quebec, 'Prendre une brosse' is a much stronger version, meaning to get very drunk, whereas 'boire un coup' remains light and social. Belgium has a massive beer culture. 'Boire un coup' almost exclusively implies ordering a local craft beer. In villages, 'boire un coup' is often done standing at the bar (le zinc), emphasizing a quick, frequent social check-in.
The 'On' Rule
Always use 'On va boire un coup' instead of 'Nous allons...' to sound like a native.
Not for Coffee
If you want coffee, say 'Prendre un café', not 'Boire un coup de café'.
Meaning
To have an alcoholic beverage, often in a casual setting.
The 'On' Rule
Always use 'On va boire un coup' instead of 'Nous allons...' to sound like a native.
Not for Coffee
If you want coffee, say 'Prendre un café', not 'Boire un coup de café'.
The 'Petit' Addition
Adding 'petit' (un petit coup) makes the invitation sound even more friendly and less intimidating.
The 'En' Shortcut
Saying 'On s'en boit un ?' is the ultimate level of casual fluency.
Test Yourself
Complete the sentence with the correct form of 'boire un coup'.
Après le match, les joueurs vont ________ ensemble.
After the verb 'vont' (aller), we use the infinitive form.
Which situation is appropriate for 'boire un coup'?
Where can you say this?
'Boire un coup' is informal and social.
Fill in the missing line.
A: Je suis très fatigué après cette journée. B: ________ ?
'On va...' is the most natural way to make a suggestion in spoken French.
Match the register to the phrase.
Match them up:
These represent the different levels of formality for the same action.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Formality Scale
Practice Bank
4 exercisesAprès le match, les joueurs vont ________ ensemble.
After the verb 'vont' (aller), we use the infinitive form.
Where can you say this?
'Boire un coup' is informal and social.
A: Je suis très fatigué après cette journée. B: ________ ?
'On va...' is the most natural way to make a suggestion in spoken French.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
These represent the different levels of formality for the same action.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions90% of the time, yes. However, if you are very thirsty (e.g., after sports), it can mean water.
No, it's just informal. It's very friendly among peers.
Probably not, unless you have a very close, long-term relationship. Use 'Prendre un verre' instead.
We rarely use the plural 'des coups' in this idiom. It's almost always 'un coup'.
You can say 'Avec plaisir !' or 'Bonne idée !'
Yes, but 'un coup' is more casual and 'un verre' is more neutral.
Yes, it's perfect for SMS. You can even write 'On boit un coup ?'
Not necessarily, but if you say 'Je t'offre un coup', then you are paying.
Yes, it's understood everywhere, though local slang might vary.
Usually between 5 PM and 8 PM (the apéro hours).
Related Phrases
Prendre un verre
synonymTo have a drink
Trinquer
similarTo clink glasses
L'apéro
builds onPre-dinner drinks and snacks
S'en jeter un
synonymTo knock one back
C'est ma tournée
relatedIt's my round
